Cold
by Airhead259
Summary: Oneshot, AU. January was a brutal month, after all.


_And again, my ability to come up with such unoriginal titles is astounding..._

_Another one-shot I wrote on a whim. I've noticed that my style is constantly changing. Also, I have another long one-shot in the works, as well as a multi-chaptered story in the planning stages. Unlike previously, I'll write the whole thing out before posting it - I don't want to end up neglecting it like I have in the past :l_

_Syao and Sakura are around 8 at the beginning of this fic, or at least that's the age I had in mind while writing._

_Disclaimer: I don't own Cardcaptor Sakura and/or its characters._

* * *

Cold

One cold evening, a scowling boy walked through the streets of Tomoeda. His gaze was planted firmly on the sidewalk in front of him as he walked, muttering to himself on the way. People surrounded him on all sides and he grunted; he had never liked crowds.

'_It's your first day of school in Japan, Xiao Lang,'_ his mother had said to him earlier the same day. _'Try to make some friends, and ask them to walk home with you. I'm sure you'd enjoy some company.'_

"That just proves how well Mother knows me…" he mumbled to himself. All he had done all day was sit in a corner and glare at people. Even the teacher was scared of him now - quite the reputation to have built in just a day. And he took pride in it.

'_No-one's going to break through my barrier…'_

He trudged along the snow-covered sidewalk, the cold starting to seep through his thick coat and boots. Eventually, he began to shiver and wrapped his small arms around himself, trying to keep warm; it wasn't good enough. He stopped in his tracks suddenly and stood still.

"I give up," he said to no one in particular. "I hate the cold. I can't stand this place."

The crowd weaved its way around him as he stood in the middle of the sidewalk, but he paid them no heed. He didn't care if he was getting in someone's way, or if he was being a pessimist. He was too cold to care. Snowflakes fell around him and settled on his hair and nose. He sneezed.

Just then, he noticed a pink blur out of the corner of his eye. Turning his head, he squinted through the snow, only to see a pink-clad figure running in his direction. Within moments, he had recognised it.

"It's…that girl…" The only person who had made a conscious effort to befriend him. Her vivid green eyes had stood out in the classroom, along with her wide grin and the striped pink scarf around her neck. He would have recognised it _anywhere_.

She raced past him just as he sneezed again. Scowling, he wiped his nose with his sleeve and stood still again, sniffling occasionally. What a day.

Suddenly, he felt a tap on his shoulder. He looked up and found it to be the same girl. What was her name again…? Something to do with a flower…

"Ne, do you need a scarf?" Her sweet voice interrupted his thoughts. Her cheeks were flushed, but she was smiling at him as though they were old friends. He opened his mouth to refuse, but sneezed again before he could say anything.

The girl giggled. Then, she gently pulled off her scarf and wrapped it around his neck. "There. Now you won't catch a cold."

His face felt warm; that was strange. Wasn't it just cold a moment ago? Maybe the scarf was working already…

"You were in my class today!" she exclaimed suddenly. "Sha…Shao…"

"Syaoran," he blurted out before he could stop himself. "Call me Syaoran."

Her face brightened. "Syaoran," she repeated with a grin – he felt his ears turn red at the sound of his name in her voice. It sounded…nice.

"Ano Syaoran," He noticed the lack of honorific almost immediately. "You live close by, ne?"

Barely aware of his own actions, he only managed to nod.

"Could you…walk home with me?" she asked shyly. "I'm not scared, but…it's getting late, and otou-san might be worried…"

Unable to refuse (not that he wanted to), he nodded again. With a squeal, she took his hand and pulled him along, talking animatedly. It came to him in a flash; she had broken through his barrier. And yet, all he could focus on was the warmth of her hand in his.

* * *

_8 years later…_

Once again, Sakura found herself walking home in the company of her boyfriend. The two of them had been together ever since they had grown closer in the fifth grade. Although people had told them that they were too young; that it was too early to commit to a relationship, she had waved them off. And now, even after all these years, she found herself incredibly content.

"Syao, you're coming home for dinner today, right?" she asked her now-very-tall boyfriend of six years. He turned to her and shrugged.

"Sure - I'd rather risk being poisoned than starve to death."

She punched his arm and he chuckled. They walked on in silence until she began to shiver. January was a brutal month, after all. She breathed hot air onto her mitten-clad hands in a feeble attempt to warm herself.

Suddenly, she felt a pair of arms wrap themselves around her, pulling her back into a very warm chest. Puzzled, she looked up to see Syaoran leaning over her shoulder, grinning playfully.

"Ne, do you need a scarf?" he asked innocently. Sakura smiled at the familiarity of his words. "Sorry, but all I can offer you is myself."

She laughed, snuggling closer. "That's more than enough."

* * *

_Random fact: this fic was born as I was walking home on a very windy day. The last two lines suddenly popped into my head and I thought they were the cheesiest things I had ever come up with. Then I thought "Why not write a fanfic around them?" _

_Please R&R :)_


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